{"id":98350,"date":"2024-12-31T16:06:33","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T21:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?p=98350"},"modified":"2024-12-31T16:06:33","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T21:06:33","slug":"top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Have you been waiting for me to list the top 10 ReligionProf posts of 2024? Your wait is over. As has been typical in past years, I will focus on which posts were the most read this year, including posts written earlier, while also giving an indication of what else would make the list if it were limited to posts written this year. Can you guess which posts were the most popular before reading further?<\/p>\n

The #10 most popular post<\/a> on this blog this year was me sharing a social media conversation<\/a> with someone who is an outspoken critic of the Church of England for moves in the direction of full inclusion and equality of gays and lesbians.<\/p>\n

Post #9<\/a> is about what the Book of Revelation has to say about whether all dogs go to heaven<\/a>, or indeed any.<\/p>\n

#8 is a post<\/a> about a topic that led a popular online social media presence to cancel an interview with me about my recent books. He interviewed the person who created the thing that is absolutely not in any sense the \u201coriginal Aramaic Lord\u2019s prayer<\/a>\u201d and I had the audacity to point out that the individual\u2019s creation is nothing of the sort.<\/p>\n

The post ranked #7<\/a> most popular this year addressed the claim that \u201clife begins at conception\u201d and why it is misleading. On the one hand, if you really mean life, then it is present before conception. If you mean human personhood, then it is not yet present at conception by any standard otherwise used to determine that.<\/p>\n

At #6 is my post about Jesus according to AI<\/a>, or at least, according to one artist using AI tools to develop a composite of the various images of Jesus, including some of the most ancient depictions of him in icons.<\/p>\n

The #5 most popular post<\/a> is one that really is a tangent from this blog\u2019s usual focus, and yet it ranks highly year after year, and so there are clearly things besides religion, science fiction, music, and politics that people care deeply about. And to be honest, it was a very clever idea for how to make a squirrel baffle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Post ranking #4<\/a> was written this year and yet seems like it is from so long ago. Was the movie\u00a0Testament: The Story of Moses<\/em><\/a> really released in March of this year?<\/p>\n

The #3 post<\/a> may have been helped by the fact that I made a meme with the quote from\u00a0Everything Everywhere All At Once<\/em> that inspired the post<\/a>. I still seek to live by it, and still keep returning to it for inspiration<\/p>\n

The #2 post this year was the one about biblical allusions in \u201cWe Are The World.\u201d<\/a> I continue to mention it in my class on the Bible and music and worked it into my textbook<\/a> on that subject as well.<\/p>\n

My #1 post of the year<\/a> received a whopping 47,314 views. I was glad to be able to have an influence for good in the midst of serious online bullying and misinformation. To be sure, when I asked the question in the title of the post, \u201cWhat if Imane Khelif was your daughter?<\/a>\u201d I was appealing to empathy in a way that shouldn\u2019t be necessary. It should be enough that she is a fellow human being. But a lot of people simply took for granted the lies that were shared online that she was intersex or something else, none of which had any basis in any evidence.<\/p>\n

If we focused only on posts written this year, then we would need to add to the list my posts about political false prophets<\/a>, a sin unlike any other<\/a> (on same-sex relationships), making sense of the re-election of Donald Trump<\/a>, information bubbles<\/a>, Kamala Harris\u2019 \u201cwrong rally\u201d quip<\/a>, and a couple of Doctor Who episodes. Can you guess which? \u201cSpace Babies<\/a>\u201d and \u201cBoom<\/a>\u201c!<\/p>\n

Which were your personal favorites? Comments from individual readers mean more to me than generic statistics. Let me know, so that I make sure I continue to offer posts focusing on the things faithful readers are interested in next year.<\/p>\n

In keeping with custom, let me also re-share a post from more than a decade ago about the \u201cWar on New Year\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/a> Hope it brings you a smile.<\/p>\n

Thank you for reading. I wish you a happy and healthy 2025!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you been waiting for me to list the top 10 ReligionProf posts of 2024? Your wait is over. As has been typical in past years, I will focus on which posts were the most read this year, including posts written earlier, while also giving an indication of what else would make the list if […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":98353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[17683,1254,8069,9337],"class_list":["post-98350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biblioblogging-bible","tag-17683","tag-blogging","tag-new-year","tag-popular"],"yoast_head":"\nTop 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/719\/2024\/12\/top-10-2024-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"432\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ReligionProf\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html\",\"name\":\"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\"},\"description\":\"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of 2024\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/\",\"name\":\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\",\"description\":\"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\",\"name\":\"James F. McGrath\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"James F. McGrath\"},\"description\":\"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5\",\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf\",\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024","description":"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024","og_description":"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html","og_site_name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","article_author":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","article_published_time":"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":432,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/719\/2024\/12\/top-10-2024-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"James F. McGrath","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ReligionProf","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"James F. McGrath","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html","name":"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of The Year 2024","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00","dateModified":"2024-12-31T21:06:33+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf"},"description":"Were the ones that received the most total views also your favorites? Let me know which ones were your personal favorites!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2024\/12\/top-10-religionprof-posts-of-2024.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Top 10 ReligionProf Posts of 2024"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/","name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","description":"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf","name":"James F. McGrath","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"James F. McGrath"},"description":"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.","sameAs":["https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5","http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}